Coronavirus: Stranded footballers in Ethiopia arrive in Ghana

Ghanaian players who were stranded in Ethiopia following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic have safely returned home.

On June 23, 2020, Lee Addy, a former Black Stars defender led a group of players to release a video pleading on government to come to their rescue after they were left stranded in Ethiopia following the cancellation of their football season.

Following the intervention of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ministry of Sports, they have been able to work with the Ghanaian Embassy in Ethiopia to bring home the players.

The players arrived in Accra on Friday night by bus and will be under mandatory quarantine for the next 14 days at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence.

Speaking to Kumasi based OTEC FM after arriving in Ghana, Lee Addy has extended appreciation to the Ghana FA and the government for the roles they played for their evacuation.

“We paid for our ticket cost but the government played a major role in terms of organization. We the senior players paid for some of the players who couldn’t afford the cost.

“Three players were left behind because they needed to negotiate with their clubs for contract renewal. We came straight to Prampram with some students who were also stranded in Addis Ababa and South Africa”, the former Black Stars defender said.

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“We are pleased with what the government and the GFA have done for us, in fact, we didn’t expect them for helping us this way,” Addy, who played in the 2010 World Cup said.

Eighteen players enplaned to Togo after security managed to contain the conflict. Three members of the group chose to stay behind for contractual negotiations with their clubs.

The players and some students who were also stranded in Addis Ababa were picked in Lome’ and driven to Ghanaman Soccer of Excellence for the mandatory quarantine as demanded by government in their letter to the FA.

Besides Addy, other players include Alhassan Nuhu, Fuseini Nuhu, Adongo Richmond, Muntari Tagoe, Latif Salifu, as well as Osumanu Rahim.

However, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku also expressed his appreciation following the arrival of the players in the country.